6.06.2012

I've had a ton of people asking me different questions from my weight loss updates that I've been doing lately, and I think a lot of them would be really good to address in posts, so I'm starting with the MOST asked question by far: "

What exactly ARE you doing to lose weight?"

I have to be honest and say that I've been avoiding posting about my specific workout routine and eating plan, NOT because I'm trying to be sneaky or secretive about it... but because everyone is SO different, and what works for ME, may not work for YOU. Also, weight loss is a touchy subject, whether you're 100lbs or 400lbs and everyone's got their own opinion on how things "should be done", when trying to achieve a body image goal, but since I HAVE had so many people wondering about what I do everyday, I thought I'd just go ahead and share.Please keep in mind: this is what has been working for ME, and MY body. It may not be what YOU would/should do. Also, remember, I'm in TOTAL weight loss mode. Once I get to a point where I want to maintain my weight, my eating will change a bit and so will my workouts, I'm sure.

That being said... let's get on with it! Today we're going to be covering JUST exercise.
:)

I work out at the gym at LEAST 5 days a week.

EVERYDAY starts with a little over 30 minutes of interval-type aerobics at the beginning of each workout. I have been really into the treadmill lately, because I feel like it gives me the best workout, but you can do the elliptical, or any other type of aerobic workout with this same time breakdown. Basically what you're doing is spiking your heart rate every few minutes by upping your intensity for around 2 minutes at a time. I LOVE this type of aerobic workout, because it makes the time FLY and burns lots of calories!

I have really short legs, and Cason always teases me that I run as fast as he walks, when we're side by side on a treadmill (ha!), but just as a reference point, I walk at a speed of about a 3.6 and then run at around a 4.4 - 4.7 (depending on how hardcore I feel that day).
When I first started losing weight I was at a speed of 3.0 and 3.8 and worked out on a treadmill that was upstairs and against a wall, so nobody could see all of my "extras" bouncing around. But as I became a little more confident in my workout abilities, and started dropping some pounds... I moved to the main part of the gym, and now run right smack-in-the-middle of the free weight section. (AKA: The space where about 99.9% of guys hang out and pump iron) The REAL reason I moved over to this set of treadmills WASN'T because I wanted to be in front of guys when I worked out (oh jeesh, who WOULD?)... but because the treadmills are a TON better! I just didn't feel comfortable AT FIRST, exercising in front of so many people... but now, I could basically care less. (shrug) baby steps, baby steps.

Then there's weight training...

I truly believe that adding in an intense weight training routine into my workout this time around, while losing weight, has been a HUGE factor as to why I've been able to drop inches so fast. People had told me a TRILLION times before that lifting weights was "good for you", but it wasn't until about the second month, that I realized how much it WAS actually working in my favor!

My leg and arm exercises vary, but basically if you have a gym where there are leg and arm machines, you pretty much can get a great workout, by visiting a few of them and doing 12-15 reps on each one... and then repeating that again 2 more times. For ME, I do a workout similar to the below routines.

Arms:
I tend to use free weights for my arms (usually 12 or15 pounds each)
Overhead Tricep Extension
Bicep Curl
Chest Press
Shoulder Press
Front Deltoid Raise or Shoulder RollsYou can find examples for all of these here.
Again, with these, I do 12-15 reps of each one... and then go back and do it 2 more times, to make 3 rounds total.

Legs:
Seated Leg Curl
Leg Extension
Squats
Seated Hip Adduction (inner movement)
Seated Hip Abduction (outer movement)
Calf RaisesYou can find examples for all of these here.
Just like the other exercises, I do 12-15 reps of each one... and then go back and do it 2 more times, to make 3 rounds total.

The Shellinator is a workout that my life coach made up for me. It's a list of high intensity exercises that gets my heart pumping and my sweat drippin' :) Just note that this routine was made for my body's capabilities, so you may think this is easy peasy, or super hard... depending on where you are on the fitness scale.
I also didn't start doing this routine, until I was about 50lbs down. To be honest, I can barely finish it now, so I'm pretty sure I'd be in a body bag somewhere if I would have attempted this 60+ pounds ago. haha!

Okay, really though, you should be SUPER tired by the end of this. You're suppose to be doing each exercise one after another, with very little rest time in between. And because I'm freakin' crazy and want to lose ALL my weight THIS year, I actually do cardio BEFORE the Shellinator too. But you really don't need to. The Shellinator is a complete workout all on it's own, that will kick your booty :)

Like it says up above, I also do sit-ups EVERY day at the end of each work out. Here's what I do:

Sit-ups:
50 crunches
20 reverse crunches or leg lifts (for lower abs)
I do these two movements 3 times total.

WHEW! Did you get all that!? ha!
And because I love you, here is a printable of these routines too, so you can have them to reference whenever you want.Simply click on this image, save as original (full resolution) size and print!

In closing (because this post is getting ridiculously long), I have to leave you with my workout playlist... another question I have been getting a lot. There is NO WAY that I would be able to make it through a single workout, without some awesome booty shakin' music pushing me along.I realize that this kind of music isn't for everyone, but it's always nice to see what motivates others to get movin' at the gym!

You can listen to a playlist I made that includes JUST these songs, if you visit this link here.http://www.playlist.com/g/#/playlist/23366165259
I have purchased the clean versions of all of these songs through iTunes, and think I pretty much rounded up all the clean versions of these songs for you to listen to as well. Because of how playlist.com has revamped their site, I can't embed this playlist here on the blog, so you'll have to sign up with your own account, to see my workout jams. A little annoying I know, but it only takes a few seconds.

Alright people, you now know everything that I know about workin' out... so go jump into some spandex, get your body to the gym and START GETTIN' SEXIER!
:)

183 comments:

You look really fantastic! I am so inspired by you, because so many people are unhappy with the way they look, and you're not even trying the easy way out. The only real way to lose weight is eating healthy, and exercising, and you are on it girl! You should be SO proud of yourself (i'm sure you are, and i'm sure your hubs can't keep his hands off of you!!) Congrats on your incredible journey, you're awesome!!

You always have looked beautiful but now you look truly amazing and so healthy. I can do the healthy eating bit when I'm 'in the zone' but I always fail big time when it comes to finding an exercise routine I can stick to! You are inspirational,

WOW, I'm tired just reading this, but it is really working for you, you look amazing! I know some days it's really hard to be motivated but keep going, you have inspired me and I'm hoping I'll be motivated now to put down my laptop and go downstairs and work out!Thanks for sharing!

Your progress is amazing! It's exciting to see you making such a great change in your life and being such an inspiration to us all! I've been putting off those things in which I need to do. For what? Who knows! My daughter is on a weight loss journey of her own and has recently lost 24 pounds. I am so happy for her as well. I'll be back to catch up on alot of your weight loss journey posts!Hugs

I am so proud of you! I remember how diligent your mom and dad were at the gym, EVERYDAY! Tom and I have finally become converted to the value of having a regular routine incorporating both the cardio and then the weight training. I have dropped over 24 inches overall and getting lots of positive reinforcement. Tom has not only dropped the inches, but the weight. He is back to his college body type, but much stronger. Exercise works! I am looking forward to seeing the new you for a big hug!

YOU LOOK FABULOUS!!!! Thank you for sharing your routine! I love to see what others are doing and it inspires me to mix mine up a little more! 5 days a week is very impressive, it is hard to do that! Great job!!

Ok so.. here I am sitting on my keester (is that how you spell that?..eh) like I do everyday (working at home is NOT always a good thing) with not ONE but (as of this past weekend) TWO full home gyms sitting in my garage.

I have no excuse and here you are rockin it!! WHOOT For Shell! Gonna have to get off this tushy of mine and get going.

Go you! You're looking great and I bet you're feeling great. I started going to the gym about 6 months ago because I wanted to be more fit. I love that I'm doing something for me and to keep my healthier. Keep on keepin' on...

You look SOOO good! I just can't say it enough. You are an awesome inspiration! Just when I want to skip the gym, I look at your photos like...man, I can do this too!!! Thanks for sharing the details ; )

you are so so right everyone loses weight different and all plans work differently for everyone... I so wish I could find my "Just Do it " mode. Been so up and down the past 3 months. I do really good then fall off... I'm at it again..praying I stick to it this time... BTW you look amazing...awesome job.

Oh my! You look AMAZING!!! Keep up the hard work! I was working out really hard, and then we got a little blessing we had been praying for, now I have to cut back a bit for the next year or so. Can't wait to try this work out when I'm back in the game :-) .

Oh my! You look AMAZING!!! Keep up the hard work! I was working out really hard, and then we got a little blessing we had been praying for, now I have to cut back a bit for the next year or so. Can't wait to try this work out when I'm back in the game :-) .

Shelley---you are an inpiration to many, I'm sure! Not only in your beautiful style and the wonderful ideas you share, but how you are transforming yourself. You should be very proud! You are AH-mazing!

Thanks so much for sharing! I have been working on losing the "extra me" for a month now. I hope i can have the same success you have been having, I think i might start working on the treadmill daily too....OH and can i just say YOU LOOK FANTASTIC!!!

Thank you for posting this! I have been looking for a routine lately, and now I have one! I am currently doing Medi-Fast, which is working, but now I need to start an exercise plan.I'm down 15 pounds so far and I know this work out will boost my weight loss!!! Thanks again, you are really inspiring to me.

I would just like to say for all the heavy girls out there... me and my boyfriend are avid gym go-ers... 4-6 times a week... and when we see large people working out we don't think "look at all the bouncing"... we think "they're so awesome for deciding to make a change and get healthier"... It's so much easier to stay a couch potato! I used to be overweight and I always thought everyone was looking at me until I started losing the weight and realized everyone was focused on their own workouts. So if you're limiting yourself by what the strangers at the gym are thinking... you might be surprised that they're actually rooting for you to succeed.

The only people I judge are the skinny 16 year olds that walk on the treadmill at 2.5mph and text the entire 20 mins. :)

Shelly- You're doing awesome! When you're looking to try something new on Ab's do some planks! They pull in your ab muscles (instead of building on top of your abs) and they're awesome.. the next day you feel like you're wearing a girdle! :)

Shelly you look amazing you have always been very beautiful and now you just scream I'm confident and strong and just plain happy! Thanks for all the great tips. Love the playlist some of my favorite songs are on there so glad I'm not the only mom who likes Bieber or Carly Rae lol. Keep up the hard work it looks great on you!

Congrats on your weight loss, you are such an inspiration! Also, thank you for posting this! I was just yesterday looking for a good daily workout plan that combined both cardio and strength training. This is perfect! I have a question about some of the movements from your Shellinator workout. Can you describe the movements of the "Twister" and "Skiers". Thank you so much!!!!

Way to go! I love when people that have actually had a weight problem share and are successful ! So many people that are where you were consider gastric bypass- and are back obese within five years. You have to change your brain and what you do!!!!

Way to go! So many people turn to gastric bypass and gain it back within 5 years ! You have to change the way you think and what you do! I have been maintaining a 30 lb loss for a year and it is still hard. It has to become what you do! Keep going! You deserve it!

girl you are looking good! I am semi athletic and have been a gym go-er for quite some time... let me tell you ... that work out you have is pretty superb! Get it girl! That would wear out the best of them.

girl, you are GORGEOUS. congratulations on making a decision to make a change. God will totally honor you in your decision to take care of his temple and hopefully it's adding years to your life too! Keep up the awesome work!

OMG!! Your legs look like toothpicks in the "after" picture at the bottom of this post!!! I'm 8 months pregnant but fully intend on hopping on the work out train. I have a "few" pounds to lose :) Lookin good!!

gah you look so great! I love these posts. I'm not personally trying to lose weight, but I'm definitely trying to tone up and add more definition. I get bored with the same routine, so it's nice to get ideas from someone else as well. Keep it up woman!

wow! way to go. it's always awesome to see what other people are doing and what works. i too love the tredmill and feel it gives me the best workout, even though I hate to run and I hate to do it! :) you're an inspiration Shelley! Keep movin' & grovin'!!!

Amazing job so far! It is such a hard road to start yet alone keep going on. Just remember that you have a whole slew of people out here cheering you on and that you have inspired to keep going! Thanks for sharing.

Work it! Love the playlist. I just stared Weight Watchers. I think I'll be ready to incorporate more activity soon. Just trying to get used to the eating first. This is my first time to actually lose weight. It can be scary.

AHHHH!!! Love this! You are the BEST! ps...I am not avoiding you for our workout...Dan recently started a new job and works longer hours right now getting up to speed and the kids are out of school. I'm not sure if you really want to work out at 5 am or 8 pm? Those are my times if I want to leave the house without kids for the next 7 weeks. I'm sure you can never hear it enough, but you look AMAZING!!!

You look amazing! I went from 219 down to 180 and then got pregnant. I'm back to 180 again (my baby is 9 weeks old) which I'm super happy about but my current problem is finding the time to do any working out! Between feeding her (I breastfeed so that requires me being there. Haha) and her napping (which means I can't get out and walk/run) it's hard to figure out how I'm going to get back into my exercising... and I need to do it before I become a lazy bum. :) Also, now that I have 3 kids, they don't fit in my double jogger anymore.But... your post has motivated me and now I need to find a way! Or else just exercise at home or finally just join a gym so I can go at night once my hubby is home and the baby is fed. Thanks for being so willing to share your weight loss journey! It's such a personal thing and can be hard to share. You are super awesome! :)

You're amazing :) thanks for sharing, it really is an inspiration! I'm so impressed that you've been able to stick with it and make progress! I'm so bad at committing to work outs, I always die down after a little while...but this is really pushing me to try again and this time stick with it!

Look at you, look at you! fantabulous! I started water aerobics this week and loving it! I may just have to work on some of these suggestions. So darned excited for you! No looking back, keep on keepin on!

You really know your stuff when it comes to weight loss. Many people don't know that you'll burn more calories during and AFTER your workout if you do sprinting intervals combined with walking, rather than just jogging the entire time. Also, the more muscle you have the more calories you'll burn throughout the day, even when you're just sitting there doing nothing... so gaining muscle is REALLY vital to shedding pounds. Keep up the good work!

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!!!!!!!!!! That picture! You look AMAZING!!! Wow! I'm flipping out over here and my one year old is looking at me and giggling. lol What an inspiration! :) xoxo

I'm soooo PROUD of you!! (and I don't even really know you in person....haha)! But for you to work that hard to loose weight is a serious accomplishment! And for you NOT to take the easy way or make excuses......just blood, sweat, tears & eating right :) Thx so much for sharing....and keep it up! You look beautiful!

thanks for all the details of your workout. there are just two of your exercises that i'm curious about and cannot seem to find them even after i googled them.:) the skier and the twister. if you get a minute i'd love to know exactly what they are. i am always looking for new and fun exercises to change up my routine! congrats and keep up the great work!

How awesome are you?! Congrats on the success and progress so far! You are quite inspiring. Is this on Pinterest anywhere? I tried to pin in into my "health & fitness" album by adding a link, but it wouldn't pick up any photos. I checked your albums and didn't see it. I would LOVE to add it to my routines!

You are so inspiring! Congrats on the progress/success so far! I would love to add this to my Pinterest fitness routines but am having a problem adding a pin from your site. Do you have it posted anywhere? Thanks for sharing!!!

Thanks for sharing your workout plan! I've been doing Zumba 3 times a week and now I need to add in weights, so it's great to have some ideas of where to start. Oh, and that's the kind of music I workout to too. My boyfriend took my ipod one day and he said he felt like he was at a night club...haha

Thank you for sharing this! Just two days ago I weighed myself for the first time in a year, and realized I'd really let myself go. So I started wanting to seriously work out. I'm definitely going to use you {and your workout plan} as inspiration. Thanks for being awesome!

Work it girl! This is so inspiring. I'm finally starting to wrap my head around getting serious about dieting/exercising. I've found that if I can't get my mind right first, the changes don't last long. In other news...your song list TOTALLY threw me. Guess I haven't been reading long enough, but not at all what I was expecting (but really digging it!). Your list looks about what mine would look like. We could so hang out.

Work it girl! This is so inspiring. I'm finally starting to wrap my head around getting serious about diet/exercise. I've found I have to get the mental part right because the changes won't last otherwise. In other news...your playlist TOTALLY threw me. I guess I haven't been reading long enough, because I wouldn't have guessed any of those (but I'm digging it!). My likes looks about like yours. We could so hang out now.

Funny. I just happened to see your post update on facebook so I came to read. (Very interesting and thank you for sharing) And then also saw an update from Ana White, (interesting as well), which reminded me I was behind on reading up about her momplex, so I went and read that, and she linked to something called re-SNAP, so after I was done reading her momplex updates, I clicked over to her re-SNAP post... and saw YOU! How funny & cool :) Small world. I love both your blogs (and too many to type out really). Can't wait to hear about the *food* portion of your weight loss journey. Very interesting and inspiring!

Thank yoU!!! Inspired by you, I have joined a gym and have been working out 6 days a week! :D (I'm only on week two) but I'm loving it! Thank you for this! The shellinator looks amazingly (and equally) amazing and terrifying! Keep it up! xo

You Go Girl, you look amazing. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy life to list all that. I need to get my butt moving. I really need to lose weight but I am in a rut right now. I just have to motivate myself to do it and that's that. I started a while ago then stopped, tsk tsk.

I have been reading your blog for over a year now and absolutely love it but i've just never really been one to comment on blogs. After seeing the photos at the end of this post, however, how could I not comment?! You are absolutely beautiful (inside & out!) and you are such an inspiration to so many people! Keep up the amazing work!

You are totally hard core! I think I would pass out doing just the cardio alone. I love how motivated and dedicated you are, it's so inspiring to me! We are living in VA for the summer right now, but I think when we get back home to UT I need to hire a personal trainer to get my butt in gear. Until then though, I just need to find that amazing determination you have and make myself get 'er done! Seriously, soooo inspiring!

Shelley, your weight loss is so inspirational! I am still trying to exercise, eat more healthily and lose weight, and it's coming off, but slowly. I am so proud of you for the progress you're making and for your can-do attitude! Keep it up! :)

Wow! You look amazing -- thank you for sharing the details of everything that you're doing. I have a few questions: 1) how much time does it take for you to do your workout each day, and 2) how was your workout routine different when you first started? Thanks again, you're an inspiration!

Your looking awesome! you are so inspiring! keep it up and keep us updated. when i start my weight lose journey (i'm 3 months pregnant so weight loose it not an option right now) i will be revisiting your weight lose posts to help keep me motivated :D Thanks for being someone i can look up to :D

You look amazballs! Congrats to you for staying with, something I have yet to do! THank you so much for sharing this and everything! I have been following your progress and you have inspired me that I can do it too! Thanks again!

I love how you are wearing "slimming black" in the before and then "in your face white" in the second. It shows how confident you are feeling...and you still look skinny in the color that's supposed to "add" pounds! :)

You look amazing! One thing I would love to hear from you when you post about your diet is if you have fallen off your plan at all. If so how did you get back on? That is so hard for me. If you haven't, what have you done differently this time to stay so strong? The diet part is my downfall. It's always what messes me up over and over. Knowing that you have struggled with in the past, what is different this time?

You were always gorgeous, but we both know how unhealthy extra pounds are ;). So happy for you! It's amazing how good exercise feels (after you've done it for awhile, lol). You've always seemed like an energetic gal, I can't imagine it now, you must be bouncing all over the place!

You are AMAZING!!! Such an inspiration. I'm finally getting on the bandwagon, after 2 years of gaining weight...and your story has really gotten me motivation. Thank you!!! You are proving to so many that IT CAN BE DONE:) xoxo

U r looking amazing! Thanks for the workout info! I love mixing up the workouts! QUESTION: What do you eat? How do you prepare dinners for your whole family or do you cook something different for you? The food/nutrition part is what keeps me from losing the last 10. My kids would hate it if I started cooking really healthy...but I don't have the time to cook two different meals. Any advice? Thanks!

You are so inspiring! I finally got to meet you at SNAP! AND Breathing Space, and you look amazing! Way to go girl! I am going to start working out again myself! I am curious also about what you are eating during the day? Hope you do a post or two about that! :)

You look AMAZING and are an inspiration to many! I need to loose about 30 pounds that I've been trying to get off since baby #2 was born TWO years ago! I'm doing this! To the gym I go at least 5 times a week :) Keep up the good work girl you look HOT!

You look great! Just a side note from a former Figure Competitor, you should do cardio last and lift weights first. You want the most energy when you are lifting, and then need your "generator" for the cardio at the end. You'll burn more fat that way. Also, I wouldn't do situps everyday... you are wasting your time. Your muscles need time to heal before they can become stronger and more toned. I would do them 2 or 3 times per week. Reward yourself with an off day once per week!!! But make sure you eat really well that day! :)

You are looking fantastic! All the hard work is paying off. I'm a big believer in exercise, and I've FINALLY gotten into it myself over the past few months. Doesn't feel good?!!!!!I'm proud of you. I love catching up with your blog, and seeing your progress is an inspiration!

Fast walking: At the same time as walking is in itself a good aerobic work out, speedy walking is even better for burning fat. Be sure you actually stretch first and warm up with usual walking. Once you begin your faster walking pace, try to keep as much speed as possible for as extended as you be able to. If you get fatigued, try doing intervals of speedy walking followed by tiny periods of slower walking.

So very proud of you!! Your progress is awesome! And you look amazing.

I'm on the same path; I've lost about 70lbs in the past year - still have 40 to go. I've also moved into regular size clothes. And got a really nice swimsuit!! That I can actually wear in public. My downfall is keeping up with the exercise - I get busy, or tired and slack off. Plus, the Holidays were a set back for me - regained 10lbs in 3 weeks.

Reading you blog has totally inspired me to get serious and get back to my healthy eating and exercise program. Starting tomorrow, I'm back on plan! Thank you for inspiring me.

Oh my ! this routine is a killer and is exactly what i'm looking for <3 . U really inspired me to do better and stay focused 'till i reach my goal just like u did and u look AMAZING ! A BIG THANK YOU ALL THE WAY FROM SAUDI ARABIA ..

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